Santa Ana, CA - High School Football Player Files Complaints of Hazing and Sexual Abuse at Catholic Prep Mater Dei High School

Sexual Abuse and Hazing Ignored By Private Catholic School

According to The Daily Beast, sexual assault claims have been reported by the football program at Mater Dei High School, located at 1202 W Edinger Ave, Santa Ana, CA 92707. 

A football player at the Catholic prep school has come forward alleging that he was subjected to multiple sexual assaults inside the school's locker room. The abuse was at the hands of multiple fellow football players during a hazing ritual just two weeks after the boy enrolled at the school. The incident included several of the teammates holding the victim down on the ground and exposing their genitals to him. The victim, who has since left the school, claims he now suffers from anxiety due to the abuse.

A History of Hazing

School officials are being looked at, as many other claims have been made against the private Catholic prep school. A former athletic director reported that she was ordered to refrain from discussing an earlier incident that led to a football player suffering a traumatic brain injury during another alleged hazing ritual. She even claimed that the Mater Dei head football coach shot down requests made to monitor the locker rooms, according to a report by Daily Bulletin. 

Filing Lawsuits For Victims of Sexual Abuse in a Locker Room

Attorney contributor Jason Amala represents sex abuse victims and their families in civil lawsuits. He guides families through the legal process within the state of California, helping them get the justice and financial compensation they deserve. During a recent interview, Bobby highlighted the victim's legal right to file a lawsuit for being sexually assaulted in a private school locker room.  

"Private Catholic school campuses, including the locker rooms, should be a safe place for children to learn and socialize. The school system has a legal obligation to protect the children from avoidable threats, including sexual abuse. Sadly, locker room sexual abuse and hazing incidents are being reported around the country. Private schools should take precautions to prevent it from happening within their athletic departments. They could implement security measures such as monitoring locker rooms, installing cameras in communal areas, and appropriately following up on any reports of misconduct. If the school system or its staff fail to follow safety regulations, they may be held accountable in a civil case."

"In the event of locker room sexual abuse, an investigation should be conducted to see if the school was negligent or failed to prevent it. They may be considered negligent if they have earlier misconduct allegations but failed to increase their security procedures. The victim and their family may have grounds to file a lawsuit against the private school or Diocese in many negligence cases. Speaking with an experienced school sexual assault lawyer can assist victims and their families in determining the appropriate legal course of action."

Sources:

The Daily Beast

Daily Bulletin